Pronghorn
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The Pronghorn (Antilocapra americana) is an even-toed ungulate mammal, the only living member of the family Antilocapridae.
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[edit] Appearance
The Pronghorn has a yellowish-brown to reddish-brown colored fur with a white underside, and white stripes on the neck and around the mouth. Male pronghorns also have black markings on the neck and face. The males have horns that are up to 25 cm long. Females usually have no horns; if they have horns they are very short.
Pronghorns can jump up to 6 meters far. They are very fast runners, and they can run with a speed of 60 - 70 km/h for a distance of 5 km. The fastest recorded speed of a pronghorn was 98 km/h / 61 mph.
[edit] Habitat
The Pronghorn lives in North America. It lives in the prairies, but sometimes also in the desert and the Rocky Mountains.
[edit] Life
Pronghorns can be active at any time during day or night, but they are mostly active during twilight. Pronghorns eat grass, but also leaves and herbs.
In summer, adult male pronghorns fight with other males for a territory. In this territory the male keeps a group of females with which he mates in September. Young males that do not yet fight for a territory form small groups, and old weak males live alone. Females live in groups of about 20 animals. When the female is close to giving birth, it leaves the group for a time to give birth to its offspring.
After a pregnancy of 8½ months the female gives birth to 1-2 babies, seldom 3. The babies hide for three days, and after a week they can run with their mother. A pronghorn baby has grey fur, and after 3 months it has the adult fur coloring. They drink milk for 5-6 months, and start to eat grass after three weeks. Females become mature when they are 15-16 months old, and males become mature when they are 24 months old.
Pronghorns usually do not become more than 10 years old.
[edit] External links
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Antilocapra americana
